🔵 Holy heatwave Batman!

Plus: Admission prices revealed for North Sydney Pool and local date night ideas for this Valentine's Day

Huw Bradshaw
February 04, 2026

⏱️ The 77th edition of our newsletter is a five-minute read.

👋 Morning all,

In the heat of the last month, thousands of bat deaths have been reported across the country, with heat-related mass casualty events occurring across South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales, including on the North Shore.

In our reporting this week, we’ve looked at how exactly these heatwaves are impacting the health of our local flying foxes.

I spent a while trying to think of a song related to bats to make this newsletters subject line. Lou Reed’s “Andy’s Chest” seemed a bit too optimistic at the moment (“If I could be anything in the world that flew/ I would be a bat and come swooping after you”).

I was pretty keen on English post-punk band Bauhaus’ nine-minute debut single “Bela Lugosi's Dead”, but ultimately decided that was a little too niche.

Of course, the 1966 Batman Theme would be great, if only it had some lyrics that weren’t “na-na-na” and “batman”.

Maybe there’s some other song out there about bats I’m missing.

Anyway, let’s get into the news for this week.

HEARD THIS WEEK👂

🦇 There has been a mass bat casualty on the North Shore

Following multiple heatwaves across eastern Australia in 2026, thousands of grey-headed and black flying foxes — also referred to as bats — have dropped dead.

Taronga Wildlife Hospital told the Lorikeet on Monday there had been a mass bat casualty in a Lane Cove bat colony in recent weeks.

The hospital said that by the time wildlife rescue services were alerted, many bats were already dead. Recently orphaned bats and other survivors were taken to experienced bat carers for rehabilitation.

The wildlife hospital also recently took in a flying fox from Gladesville with “burnt and necrotic wing injuries”. This flying fox had to be euthanised.

According to local conservationists, who have been working with bats for decades, heat is becoming increasingly deadly for the winged mammals. The recent heatwaves also killed hundreds of bats in the Illawarra.

So why is it happening?

Read the full story below.

There has been a mass bat casualty on the North Shore

When the mercury soars, the winged mammals try to find respite on lower branches.

🏊️ Here’s how much council thinks you should pay to visit North Sydney Olympic Pool

A standard adult entry to the refurbished North Sydney Olympic Pool will cost $11, under a draft proposal from North Sydney Council. A child will be charged $8.80 and a concession card holder $8.25.

What happened: The proposed fees are listed in North Sydney Council papers, ahead of its next monthly meeting, on February 9.

The documents also appear to push back the opening of the centre. Previously, council told the Lorikeet the pool would open between March and May, but the documents say “mid-2026”.

There will be no discount for those living within the LGA, which council says is in line with other metropolitan councils.

Before the fee structure is adopted, it will be placed on public exhibition for locals to have their say.

Read below for the full fee structure.

Here’s how much council thinks you should pay to visit North Sydney Olympic Pool

The redeveloped aquatic centre is set to re-open in mid-2026.

🍽️ Nine North Shore date ideas you might actually want to try

With Valentine’s Day coming up, you may find yourself scrambling for somewhere charming, original and local to go with your partner.

Make your next date night — or morning — a special one with this list of nine ideas for dates in the North Shore area.

Read the full piece below.

Nine North Shore date ideas you might actually want to try

Whether your dream outing involves fine dining restaurants or the great outdoors, we’ve got you covered.

LOOKING NATIONALLY 👀

🔋 If renewables are making power cheaper for the wholesalers, why aren’t households seeing the savings?

In the final quarter of 2025, renewables and batteries supplied more than half of the electricity used on Australia’s East Coast.

It was the first quarter ever where this had happened.

Comparing the last three months of 2024 with the same period of 2025, wind generation was up 29%, large-scale solar rose 15% and the amount of renewable energy stored and released by batteries nearly tripled.

In the meantime, in the same quarter coal fell to an all-time low as a percentage of the energy mix. Gas fell to its lowest quarterly level since 2000.

That surge in clean energy pushed wholesale electricity prices down to around $50 per megawatt hour, roughly 44% lower than a year earlier.

So why aren’t households seeing the savings?

Archie Milligan breaks it down below.

That’s all from me.

Got a story tip? An unsolved mystery? A notable local? Hit reply or reach out at [email protected].

Cheers,

Huw